In the darkness of night, a figure landed on the rooftop of Goth Grand Hotel.
He seemed to be carrying someone in his arms.
The bedsheet slipped slightly, revealing a stretch of pale, slender legs. On the side of the calf was a crystal-shaped tattoo.
"A luxury rooftop suite facing the Statue of Barbatos Plaza."
"This must be Signora's room. There's no way someone like her would stay in the lower floors."
Jiang Chen landed on the wooden balcony outside the window.
He shifted La Signora into one arm, took out a small tool with the other, and quietly opened the window.
Then he slipped inside.
The luxurious rooftop room reflected Mondstadt's style to the fullest.
A pristine white double bed.
Shiny hardwood flooring.
A heavy brown bookshelf filled with brand-new books about Mondstadt's history and culture.
A carved white table and chairs sat in one corner atop an expensive woven carpet.
A painting of Cider Lake and Mondstadt hung on the wall.
Jiang Chen placed Signora gently on the bed.
Instead of searching immediately, he cautiously opened the door and checked the living room outside.
This was the largest suite in the hotel, with several rooms connected to the rooftop bedroom.
"As expected… no one here."
Jiang Chen nodded with satisfaction.
Signora had brought many Fatui diplomats and guards to occupy Good Hunter.
Meanwhile, agents were still deployed throughout Mondstadt to watch the Knights of Favonius.
Others had been sent to carry out the mission of stealing the Holy Lyre der Himmel.
With everyone spread out like this—
The Goth Grand Hotel, their headquarters in Mondstadt, was practically empty tonight.
So Jiang Chen had carried Signora out through the skylight of Good Hunter, glided across the city under cover of darkness, and arrived directly here.
Now that he confirmed the suite was empty—
He began searching.
Searching the Rooms
Anyone assigned a room in this suite would hold a relatively high position among the Fatui delegation.
Jiang Chen rummaged through everything.
"Mist Flower pollen…"
"Debt records…"
"Black stockings…"
"Forbidden books…"
"Name lists…"
After searching for a while, he finally found something useful.
A Mondstadt defense map.
It showed the positions of Fatui informants throughout the city.
"This one's actually useful. I'll give it to Jean."
He pocketed it.
If the Knights of Favonius received it quickly enough, they could wipe out many Fatui spies before the deployment changed.
That would definitely weaken the Fatui's presence.
"Hmm? Another map."
Under the defense map was another sheet.
This one depicted the Mondstadt Cathedral area.
"The operation plan for stealing the Holy Lyre?"
This map would become useless very quickly.
Once tonight's mission ended, it would have no value.
Still—
Jiang Chen kept it.
Searching Signora's Room
Finally he returned to the rooftop bedroom and began searching Signora's belongings.
"Hmm? What's this…"
Inside a drawer he found several medals.
Most were blue.
Two were red.
"Fatui badges."
"The blue ones are for officers."
"The red ones… lieutenants."
"Probably used by Signora to reward subordinates."
Jiang Chen's eyes lit up.
A vague plan began forming in his mind.
He pocketed the two lieutenant badges.
Aside from that, there wasn't anything valuable.
The Sleeping Harbinger
Jiang Chen glanced at the sleeping Signora.
The drug had come from Lisa.
Originally it was meant to help Jean sleep better.
In small doses it worked as a sleep aid.
Jiang Chen had never used it before.
But tonight—
It finally came in handy.
Signora probably thought it was just another cooking ingredient when she saw him add it.
After all, it had been sitting openly on the stove.
"Should I leave some kind of mark…"
Jiang Chen stared at her thoughtfully.
Then he shook his head.
"Forget it."
"For now she's only suffered a small loss."
"If I go too far and she wakes up looking for revenge, that'll be trouble."
He closed the window.
Then he grabbed a Fatui mask and a hooded coat from another room.
He put them on.
The lieutenant badge was pinned directly to his chest.
Then—
He casually walked out through the front door of the Goth Grand Hotel.
The Fatui would never imagine someone bold enough to infiltrate their base—
and leave through the front door disguised as one of them.
"Move aside."
Jiang Chen shouted at the guard stationed at the entrance.
"Yes, sir!"
The guard saw the badge and immediately knelt.
After Jiang Chen left, the guard scratched his head.
"When did we get a lieutenant officer?"
But since even Signora had arrived in Mondstadt—
one more unfamiliar officer didn't seem strange.
Waiting in the Shadows
Jiang Chen moved into the shadows of Statue of Barbatos Plaza.
There he spotted a hidden Fatui agent.
He knocked the man unconscious and dragged him into the bushes.
Then he waited.
About thirty minutes later—
A Fatui Electro Cicin Mage appeared.
In her hands was a six-string ivory harp shaped like a dragon spreading its wings.
The Holy Lyre der Himmel.
"Quick!"
"Take it out of the city!"
"The Church will discover it soon!"
She said urgently.
"Understood."
Jiang Chen replied.
Then his figure disappeared into the darkness.
For Early Access of chapters please visit patreon.com/Killua_001